Vermouth, derived from the german word for wormwood wermut, is a fortified wine that is aromatised with various botanicals including roots, flowers, seeds, herbs spices and barks. Historically it was used for medicinal purposes and the modern versions started being produced in Turin, Italy in the mid to late 18th Century. It is often drunk as an aperitif and is also the key ingredient in various classic cocktails including the martini, manhattan and negroni.